Giants fall narrowly short in tight game

Huddersfield Giants (0) 6

Tries: McQueen

Goals: Lolohea

Drop-Goals:

Red Card: Will Pryce (65')

Hull FC (6) 14

Tries: Vulikijapani, Savelio

Goals: McNamara (3)

Drop-Goals:

Huddersfield Giants: Lolohea, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Leutele, I. Senior; Russell, Pryce; Trout, Levi, Hill; McQueen, Roberts, Yates

Interchanges: Golding, English, Greenwood, Wilson

Hull FC: Connor, Swift, Vulikijapani, Griffin, Wynne; McNamara, Lovodua; Sao, Houghton, Satae; Savelio, Ma'u, Brown

Interchanges: Lane, Fash, Johnstone, Bowden

Huddersfield Giants suffered a loss on the East Coast at the MKM Stadium in the Betfred Super League, coming up short 14-6 in a tight and tense game against Hull FC. 

Huddersfield welcomed Ash Golding into the side, replacing Adam O'Brien on the bench while the only other change saw Olly Wilson replacing Sebastine Ikahihifo on the bench.

It would be the hosts who would get on the board first, with Vulikijapani crossing over after a well placed kick into the near corner was pounced upon. Despite Giants protests that the ball was touched forward, the referee had no hesitation about awarding the try, however, and McNamara converted soon after to give the hosts a lead midway through the first quarter. 

The Giants attack began to click into gear after the concession of the first try. Chris Hill thought he'd managed to score Huddersfield's first points of the day after a pocket of space opened up to the left of the posts, but the Great Britain International was unable to touchdown thanks to the presence of three defenders in Black & White, on the subsequent play, Chris McQueen attempted to cross over, but was unable to find the line. 

In a half bereft of chances, the Giants went into the sheds with a six-point deficit but with plenty to play for in the second stanza. 

McNamara got the first points of the second half on the board after a penalty was called 10 metres out. McNamara made it two from two with the boot from close range and the Giants deficit increased to eight points. 

The Giants continued to pepper the Black & White defence, with fourteen second half minutes gone, Will Pryce thought he had found a gap to score, but was greeted only by a penalty for crossing. Resolute defence from both sides kept the game low-scoring well into the final quarter, however the travelling contingent of Giants fans, however, kept in good spirits and retained their voice well into the game.

With twenty left on the clock, the Giants would concede again. Andre Savelio getting on the end of a Jake Connor kick into the in-goal, and after a long deliberation as to whether the play constituted a penalty try or indeed a score for Savelio, the try was given. McNamara converted and the Giants fell fourteen points behind with a quarter to play. The Giants went down to twelve men with 15 minutes left on the clock as Will Pryce saw red for a late hit.

The sending off would galvanise the Giants, however, who would get their first try on the board from the in-form Chris McQueen, who stretched over to get the Giants within eight points. Tui Lolohea took over from Pryce in kicking duties, and successfully dispatched the conversion. The Giants would continue to try to get a second try on the board, getting closest with Innes Senior, but would ultimately fall short. Huddersfield look forward to a Challenge Cup tie against Barrow Raiders next time out, as they look to reach the Quarter Final of the Cup.